American Food Group Should Pay E. coli Victims' Medical Bills

Dec 05 2000

SEATTLE, WA - American Foods
Groups, Inc., the Green Bay, Wisconsin meat supplier implicated in the recent Minnesota
E. coli outbreak, should pay medical bills of those in the upper Midwest who
have been stricken with the deadly E. coli bacteria, stated William Marler, the
attorney best known for representing foodborne illness victims.

"American Foods should do
the responsible thing for those already injured, and for others across the
Upper Midwest who may yet become ill from hamburger purchased at Cub Foods, and
other Supervalu stores in the region," the Seattle attorney said Monday.
Additionally, Mr. Marler discovered that Supervalu was forced to recall a
supply of E. coli infected meat in July of this year, less than six months ago.

Mr. Marler went on to say that it
is not unusual for companies implicated in food-borne illness outbreaks to
immediately begin paying medical bills for victims. "Most of the airlines
are now doing this after a crash. Meat suppliers should take a hint, and be
opening their check books now, before resolving concerns about liability or
waiting for the filing of inevitable lawsuits," Mr. Marler added.

"Nearly eight years after
Jack in the Box and we still see meat suppliers that send restaurants and
consumers meat contaminated with a deadly pathogen - when will this stop - how
many kids will suffer kidney damage and death?" Mr. Marler concluded.

Mr. Marler has represented
hundreds of victims of food-borne illness since the 1993 Jack-in-the-Box
outbreak. He was awarded over $30 million for the victims of the 1993
Jack-in-the-Box E. coli outbreak, including $15.6 million for the most seriously
injured survivor, Brianne Kiner. Brianne was hospitalized for six months and
suffered kidney failure and brain damage.

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Background: In May 1998, Marler
Clark settled the Odwalla Juice E. coli outbreak for the five families whose
children were severely injured after consuming contaminated apple juice.
Presently, Marler Clark is lead counsel in actions arising from several E.
coli, Salmonella, Shigella, and Hepatitis outbreaks in Wisconsin, Washington,
Georgia, Oregon, California, Ohio, Missouri, and Arizona. Marler Clark has also
successfully litigated on behalf of injured children against KFC, McDonalds,
Wendy's, Hardees, Sizzler, Subway, and Carl's Jr.